Alice’s Garden Urban Farm
I visited this magical place a few years ago for a pop-up market and vowed to return and see it during a different point in the growing season, and also walk the labyrinth. The entity, named after the late community advocate Alice Meade-Taylor, celebrates regenerative farming and cultural diversity and feels like a beacon of hope in an area of the city where fresh foods from the earth are not abundant. Open Sat-Sun 10 a.m.-5 p.m. – Ann Christenson, dining editor
Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility
A few months ago, I had the chance to go behind the scenes at the sewage soirée that is Jones Island for a feature profile I wrote of Kevin Shafer, the head of Milwaukee’s sewage district. If you’re of an industrial mind, this place is quite cool. The vast and complex infrastructure needed to clean up the strange sauce that runs beneath our very feet is fascinating to see in action. Although, yes, the place does stink pretty bad. – Archer Parquette, managing editor
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Urban Harvest Brewing
Amidst everything going on in the Milwaukee beer scene, it’s easy to miss this little brewery in Walker’s Point. Urban Harvest opened in 2017 in a former theater built in 1897. You can get a beer or two, of course as well as tour the building including the (tiny) space for beer production and the extant auditorium outside of the main taproom. The brewery’s head brewer and owner, Steve Pribek, is hosting Q&As at 12:30 p.m. Saturday and 11:30 a.m. Sunday. – Chris Drosner, executive editor
Central Library Former Museum Offices Tour
Did you know that the Milwaukee Public Library and the Milwaukee Public Museum used to share a space? It’s true! And it was at the Central Library. This tour shares a bit more about that time, giving you a look into the space where the museum’s office used to be. Plus, they share about Sim the Lion – yes, a literal lion that used to live there. – Brianna Schubert, associate digital editor
Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge
This place is in the canon of MKE bucket list visits. Order a drink, make it something the bartender has never heard of – that’s tough, though, because they’ve heard of/can make everything. That’s the promise. This building has a history, with many secrets and stories in those dark corners. Visit it Sat noon-5 p.m.; the next day, pop into its sister bar At Random, open Sun noon-5 p.m. I haven’t been here since the sale (to Bryant’s John Dye) – in fact it’s been a coon’s age since I was in for a Tiki Love Bowl for Two. It’s a living landmark. – AC
UWM Greenhouse
For our September issue – which, by the way, is out now – I had the chance to ask Historic Milwaukee event director Grace Fuhr for her hidden gems. One of those was this rooftop garden, home to over 672 plant species. It’s a part of UWM’s Biological Sciences department, and it’s normally closed to the public. I’d like to check out the massive Titan Arum, also known as the Corpse Flower. Fortunately, it is still far from blooming again, so don’t worry about its foul odor gracing the greenhouse. – Evan Musil, arts and culture editor
Milwaukee Manhole
Are two of my must-see Doors Open picks about sewage? Yes. Is that a little weird? Maybe. Do I care? Absolutely not. “Milwaukee Manhole” is … honestly not as weird as the name sounds. The Department of Public Works is going to set up a camera inside a manhole built in 1909 at 2nd and Michigan. You can stop by and see inside the hole in the earth, down to the secret underground city below, where I like to imagine a race of semi-feral Milwaukeeans live in their own sewer city. (Someday I swear I will investigate this claim, and you’ll all regret laughing at me when I publish a Pulitzer-winning expose on the sewer people.) – AP
Carma Laboratories
I’ll be honest, there’s really only one reason I’m interested in visiting Carma Laboratories – the makers of Carmex lip balm – and it’s the world’s largest theater organ. Now, you might wonder, “What’s the world’s largest theater organ doing in a warehouse in Franklin, Wisconsin?” Turns out it’s a passion project of company president Paul Woelbing, who used to be a high school art teacher. He asked experts to assemble parts of a dozen old organs into 6,000-pipe behemoth. I want to hear it echo. – EM
Villa Terrace
If I ever strike it rich through one of my various schemes (I think Possum Insurance is the one that’s finally gonna hit.), I plan to buy a villa on the Amalfi Coast and spend my days smoking cigars, writing and eating salami. In the meantime, I like to get my little taste of Italy here in Milwaukee at Villa Terrace, which somehow accomplished the truly wild feat of making a house on Milwaukee’s East Side feel like a Florentine Villa. It’s one of our city’s most beautiful buildings, always worth a visit. – AP
